


Packet Switching

by dizmo



Category: Anthropomorphic Web 2.0
Genre: Banter, Disability, Jealousy, Multi, Polyamory, Snowflake Cookies, Yuletide 2009
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-23
Updated: 2009-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-05 02:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/36864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dizmo/pseuds/dizmo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Livejournal is overreacting.  What else is new?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Packet Switching

**Author's Note:**

  * For [melannen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/melannen/gifts).



> Thank you, melannen, for the fabulous prompt. I was gleed when I got the pinch hit. :D Thank you also to my beta and cheerleaders, who I'll go into more detail with post-reveal.

"You _bitch_!"

Fandom glanced up with a slight sigh as LJ burst into the room in a huff. She rolled her eyes. "What did I supposedly do this time?"

"Supposedly? You're _cheating_ on me and you know it! I really thought we _had_ something!"

Fandom let out another sigh. "We still _have_ something, LJ. All I'm doing is exploring my options."

"Options? You shouldn't _need_ any options! Look at everything I've given you!"

"_Given_ me? What exactly have you given me that you didn't have already, or that you were really trying to make for someone else that I could manage to jury rig to make it work for my own purposes?"

LJ scowled. "I just _gave_ you a batch of snowflake cookies, didn't I?"

She had to laugh at that one. "Snowflake cookies? You mean the huge batch of snowflake cookies you just left lying out on the counter one day, didn't mention them to me at all, and then when I finally found them, had some, and shared them with my friends, you came bursting in, saying you hadn't meant to leave those out after all, all the crumbs were making a mess, and you took them away? _Those_ snowflake cookies?"

"... You liked them," replied LJ, sullenly.

"Yes, I've appreciated all you've done for me, but it's not as if you can make a claim to exclusivity either. I mean, hell, ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm not even a _blip_ on your priority radar."

"I'm not supposed to be exclusive, I'm open source!"

"Now you're just deliberately being obtuse. Not that I can _remotely_ claim to be surprised."

"What exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"I'm pretty sure you know what it means. This is a _habit_ with you, LJ. Every time I even so much as _look_ at another journaling service, you get all huffy even if you pretend not to be. Look at Journalfen."

"Oh, please, like I could ever be jealous of that jerk. You're just using him as an outlet for your cattiness anyway."

The glare that Fandom leveled on LJ was easily one of the fiercest expressions that had passed between them since Strikethrough. "You've never understood our relationship, and comments like that make it clear to me that you never will."

"But really, Fandom. _Dreamwidth_? She's barely been around for two seconds. What do you even _know_ about her?"

"A hell of a lot more than I know about you most days, because she actually believes in the groundbreaking concept of _constant communication_... And by that I mean more than just slapping pictures up in a newspost without a cut."

"Hey, those are awesome pictures!"

"Again... not the point."

"Yeah, the point is you're cheating on me."

Fandom sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Listen, you've never seemed to care this much before. Why are you so _threatened_ about this? Our relationship is fine for what it is, and huffy or not, you've never been this _hostile_ about another one of my relationships before. There has got to be something else behind this."

It was LJ's turn to sigh a little. "I never got the feeling you _cared_ so much about another one before."

Fandom smiled a little. "I do care about her. She's fabulous. Listen. She's coming over this afternoon. We'll talk it out. Maybe have some tea. I know you'd really like her if you got to know her."

"Yeah, we'll see about that." He grimaced a little. "I've heard about her. I think she's rubbing off on you."

Fandom grinned slyly. "Well, sometimes."

"I... Geez, Fandom, I really don't need details."

"We have sex, okay? We like it. It's fun, it feels good, and DW is willing to play with some of my kinks that you've already made perfectly clear you want nothing to do with."

"Please tell me you don't mean the..." LJ trailed off.

Fandom just smiled enigmatically.

"Right. I'm... I'm just not going to ask."

"Listen, LJ. You're freaking out for no reason. I've _always_ had interests that weren't you. I was around the block tons of times before you even peeked into the neighborhood. You don't see me complaining when you start making out with Rampant Commercialism."

"... I don't?"

"Well, okay, I complain when you start making out with Rampant Commercialism, because he's a sleazeball, and I suspect you have issues with using protection, but that's not the point."

"What _is_ the point?"

"I don't complain about your screwing around _because of it being screwing around_. Obviously I can't stop you from hanging around with whoever you want to hang around with. It's just... your ethos. You can tell a lot about someone by who they choose to spend time with."

"And you're spending more and more time--"

"With DW, yes. Because she's _amazing_." Fandom looked at the clock and smiled. "And like I said, she'll be coming over. You'll see."

"Yeah, whatever. I bet I will. Give me a holler when she shows up."

"Sure thing."

LJ almost stalked out of the room, leaving Fandom smiling to herself. Yes, sometimes he was as infuriating as anyone could be, but there was a large part of her that would always be loyal to him. And that was the beauty of DW. Not only did she _understand_ that, she actually went out of her way to make accommodations to let her keep up that relationship. _If that isn't love,_ mused Fandom, _I don't know what is._

Fandom had just put the tea on when she faintly heard the smooth purring of DW's car pulling up outside. The sound faded and there was the unmistakable noise of a car door. She grinned and called out. "LJ, I think she's here!"

"Hold your horses, I'm making coupons for holiday gifts!"

"Right, right." She rolled her eyes and headed for the door. Opening it, she leaned on the doorframe and grinned happily at DW who was rolling herself up the walk. "Well, hello there, beautiful!"

DW grinned back. "Hello back. Sorry it took so long. Traffic was a bitch."

"Yeah, it can do that if you're not on the premium servers." Fandom stepped aside to let DW through the door, closing it behind her.

LJ came downstairs then. "Okay, okay, what's the _huh_?"

DW grinned wryly. "What? Accessibility, I'm not just a proponent, I'm also a client. ... Now that makes me sound like the damn Hair Club for Men. Forget I said that."

"Sorry," LJ muttered, having the good sense to sound at least a little bit sheepish, although he did have a tendency towards apologies that didn't sound the least bit apologetic. "I just wasn't expecting..."

"The wheelchair? Or the being black? Because I own both of them with no apologies."

"No, no, not that, it's just--"

Fandom rolled her eyes. "Just stop it, LJ, she's gorgeous."

"Yeah," LJ said almost wondrously. "Exactly."

DW started to laugh. "Sorry, I'm not exactly a one woman woman, but I hate to disappoint, because I just don't swing that way."

LJ blinked, dumbfounded. It usually took him a bit to catch up when the conversation got going. "Huh."

Fandom smiled, giving DW a kiss and then glancing at LJ. "Maybe you _can_ learn a few things. Let's go to the kitchen, you two. Tea's ready."

They did.


End file.
